Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1887-04-12
THE LIQUOR AGENCY
eS discussion by Citizen. p..
BOARD OF Aldermen '"s

provided by law, and there was ,;.a,- =:
cussion over the matter.
Alderma Brick presided an,
senting the petition for an agency ,s.a ~,
mnnications from Hon. John T. S,a, -,
no" Anson P. Morrill,, asking that a DIV
nearing be assigned so that the latter aan,:
"an could appear and offer his view. :, 9.
VI VI an agency. as his health would M, al
"i' OF attending in the evening.
mr. Ge0. +. Patch read the view.
'o.i'y OF the petitioners. Oae of them had
Saio' 1.-The first step towards the a,fo,oa.
ment OF the law is the establishment, 90 49,
agency: and there would be no gain ,,,n,
year TO year until such action VIVA ,.La, :.
Mr. Patch recognized the arpumsn, ~.
THIS would be but another rumshop sc vo,n
nimsy one. Because other towns had h.on
imposed upon it was no reason wbv A,,,.
'houid suffer He would have the agent sell
only under proper restrictions and he prese,,.
ed the following conditions under W b;cb ho
could deal in liquor:
No, e"' enoii NOT sell TO anv person
~ ~ 'k VI stopping In Augusta, for any
2. The agent shall sell alcohol To sucb
persons for medicinal purposes as rho mavnr
shall order. and such sales shall he recor1ad
10 book that shall b. open to the public
The agent shall sell for medical nu--
poses only on regular physicians prescrin.
tlon, who shall in said prescriptions state for
what person, for what purpose and the ouan.
ivy required. The agent shall record rho
safes IN book kept open to the public, stat
Jug on whose prescription (Which he must
nave 10 snow tor his own protection) for
"nat person the quantity Sold the amount re.
celveo Tor 1t, and the party who it is deliy-
ereo 10 shall register his name in the book,
Inc agent shall not make any sales
except as stated above, under any circum.
stances.
MI D. j. Maher did not have very high
opinion Of the idea of keeping book and
referred to the abuses of the Bath agency.
One OF his men had said, Il can 60 at any
time please and get all want" He could
not see how man claiming to b. true tenn
perance man could place his name on this
petition.
Rev. FL. J. White.-The fact is great
many people honesty believe intoxicating
liquors necessary for medicine and mechanical
purposes. This being the case, pray where
are to purchase them lawfully without an
agency! Either you must say, gentlemen of
the Board, that the people do not require any
liquors or that they do If the
latter view is held then by establishing an
agency you give them an opportunity to buy
legally, or you oblige them to go to the drug
gists and purchase unlaw fully. at the same
time giving to the dealers an excuse for
breaking the law which they are not slow to
could not regulate an agency so that it would
not be abused. | would not give the drug
gists any excuse for selling
Mayor Macombrr.-W Would YOU have all
prescriptions from doctors filled? Suppose
a doctor liked liquor himself and would give
prescriptions to all who applied?
Mr. White would suggest that the agent
should not sell to anyone where objection
was offered.
The Mavor.-Supposing should go in and
object to selling to anybody?
Mr. White You wouldn't do it,
Mayor-Suppose the agency did more hurt
than good? For instance, three persons
might die, without an agency, for the want
of liquor, while with it six might tumble iuto
q drunkard's grave.
Mr.. White-I would let the three die for
want of it, as they might 60 to heaven.
Alderman Staple. inquired if it was proba-
Bile that the supply of liquor would run short
for the want of an agency. He knew that
the old city agency had been most danger
Gus rumshop, the headquarters of drunk
ards.
Mr.. w. II. Reid did not favor an agency,
and was willing that all rum should be shut
off He would send to Boston for supply
if it became necessity for his children or
otherwise.
Mr.. White thought it would be morally
wrong to buy in Massachusetts, even if the
laws permitted it.
Mr.. Macomber asked if it would not also
be morally wrong to purchase at legalized
agency.
Mr.. j. S. Hobbs was emphatically opposed
to an agency. He did not think this would
be an Improvement over any other agency
The agent was placed in a position of Jeopar-
DIV. Even the best of men, deacons included
could not stand the strain. Ninety nine per
cent. of those who patronized the agency,
would 20 to it with self prescriptions. IL
would be impossible to make anything OF 1t
but q rumshop, and the movement was step
backwards.
Mr.. F.. E. Southland said the petitioners
didn't ask for a rumshop but for place to
buv Eouors for medical and mechanical pur-
noses He could see no inconststence III the
position of the petitioners.
Alderman Gaslin said that III the past the
agency had been abused.
Adjourned to give further hearing next
Monday forenoon at nine o'clock.
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